The 5 Best Mini Wine Fridges As Of August, 2018 (And 11 Other Models)
Not all kitchens accommodate large wine refrigerators, and many of us just want to store and display a handful of our best wines for special guests or family dinners, right? In that case, a mini wine fridge that typically holds 4 to 8 wine bottles atop a small counter space might be the way to go.
Mostly trading off the niceties of larger models -- like too different cooling zones, luscious wood shelves or security locks, mini wine coolers are small-enough to fit limited kitchen spaces and corners. Here are several of the latest counter-top models, mostly storing bottles in a single temperature zone. Some of these mini wine coolers are even able to dispense per-glass servings while others can be affixed under a cupboard. They are also among the cheapest models we have found.
Almost all mini fridges listed here are freestanding models and have space for less than 9 bottles (typically 4 or 8, but some models hold 6 bottles).
The List:
The 6-bottle Haier HVTEC06ABS has so far earned a 4-star rating (averaged across 914 reviews) during its stay in the mini wine fridge scene. We have seen a lot of customers expressing satisfaction over its looks, and the small-yet-sophisticated silver and black exterior has definitely earned a lot of admiration from reviewers. Going beyond the superficial, it also apparently feels well-made and solidly-built.
As for performance, many people have reported that this mini wine fridge didn't have any troubles doing what it's supposed to do. In fact, there have been many reports about it withstanding hot ambient temperatures -- meaning, it's able to maintain the set temperature in spite of fluctuations in the environment. Moreover, most of its reviews have also said that it operates quietly -- though we have also come across feedback (small in number compared to the positive ones) that say otherwise.
As for apparent cons, the most common complaint we've seen are those that express disappointment over the size of its middle shelf. According to some buyers, only standard-size bottles fit in the said space -- veer away from it, even by just a little bit, and you'll apparently find the middle shelf to be unaccommodating. Also, it doesn't appear to have a temperature memory feature, and so it resets to the default temperature (somewhere around 60 degrees Fahrenheit) upon turning on after power surges or electricity disturbances.
For most buyers, its good points have massively outweighed the not-so-positive at the end of the day. Thus, there's no surprise that it bested other mini wine fridges in our ranking (Learn how we rank items) with a confidence level of 100 (More on confidence levels).
Magic Chef MCWC6B 6-bottle Small Wine Fridge
The positive portion of the Magic Chef MCWC6B mini wine cooler's 67 reviews (collected and scanned by our system across multiple sources) praises it greatly for its countertop-friendly form that is compact yet classy-looking. Many reviewers have said that this model looks and feels very well-made, and have especially expressed delight over the blue interior lighting. Going beyond external appearances, the Magic Chef MCWC6B has also been reported to effectively do its job of chilling six wine bottles without any problems.
However, it's reportedly noisier than what's ideal, especially for a device that commonly sits on top of kitchen counters. Another common gripe we have seen among buyer reviews is the lack of a digital display which, along with the dial knob-type control, makes it impossible for a specific temperature to be set. Obviously, this is a potential problem for the extra-particular wine drinker, unless you decide to put a thermometer inside.
In addition, the control knob's placement makes it a bit hard to access and use, as reported by reviewers. Since the knob is apparently placed near the interior light source, looking at the markings on the dial could be straining for the eyes.
These ergonomic issues aside, the Magic Chef MCWC6B small wine fridge has still earned far more positive reviews than negative ones, as it appears to be completely able to perform its job while being space- and cost-efficient. With this in mind, it's not surprising that it's currently Alphachooser's second best mini wine fridge 2018 on this top 5 list of mini wine coolers.
Curtis Igloo FRW041 4-Bottle Small Wine Cooler
The FRW041 is a mini 4-bottle wine cooler that still manages to store your wines within roughly 46-64F (common for bigger models) on four chrome wire racks.
Dimensions of 17.9 x 6.5 x 19.7 inches
Ivation IV-FWCT081WSS Mini Wine Fridge
Dimensions of 17.7 x 9.9 x 19.7 inches
Capacity: 8 bottles
More mini wine fridges, sorted by the latest model first:
Dometic MF-6W Small Wine Cooler Fridge
Dimensions of 16.3 x 10.2 x 18.5 inches
Capacity: 6 (can only fit bottles with up to 12.6-inch lengths) bottles
SPT WC-0888H Mini Wine Cooler Fridge
Dimensions of 17.7 x 10 x 20.5 inches
Vinotemp IL-OW002 Compact Wine Cooler
Dimensions of 10.3 x 11.4 x 10.3 inches
Capacity: 2 (750-ml) bottles
The Westinghouse WWT080MB is rated (rating temporarily unavailable) stars across the reviews that our system has aggregated. Like any other mini countertop wine cooler, it has its own share of good and not-so-good reviews from the people who shelled out cash to buy it.
Many of the good reviews say that this has a very quiet operation. That is, some say that its noise levels are nothing distracting, while others say that they can't hear the unit at all. Most of its satisfied consumers also seem to agree that the Westinghouse WWT080MB appears well-made and feels high-quality.
In terms of operation, this countertop small wine fridge reportedly reaches the desired temperature quickly. The mechanical dial knob used to control the temperature has also been a good thing for many buyers, as it ensures that the temperature would stay on the desired level even after power-related issues, which may cause the product to reset. Finally, the reviews say that it accommodates the number of bottles that it advertises to do so, but these bottles have to be in the standard size.
This brings us to the customer feedback on the not-so-favorable side of the spectrum. Having wider wine bottles or champagne bottles would automatically compromise the 8-bottle capacity. Some people remedy this by modifying or removing some of the shelves, but this step may represent an unacceptable nuisance for others. Many have also expressed the desire for a built-in temperature display, which is a feature that is notably absent from this wine cooler.
